Well, The interface board finally gave up the ghost, but I'm 99% sure it was the LCD, so I've ordered a new one from mouser (20 bucks) and am hopeing that'll fix it.
I also added cable chain on all three axes, so now the wires are all neat n tidy! But, in doing so, I accidentally drilled through one of the RGB led sections, so I'll need to solder that back together...
I've posted a few new parts on TV:
http://www.thingiverse.com/thing:16070 is a mounting plate for the filament feed tubes I use, and for the emergency stop board.
I also posted http://www.thingiverse.com/thing:16299, a 3D placeholder model of a Gen4 endstop
Finally, I uploaded http://www.thingiverse.com/thing:16302, An endstop mount for using the touch endstops with a Cupcake Lowrider.
I'll post more info once I get my new interface display module!
Saturday, January 21, 2012
Tuesday, January 10, 2012
Good news, and bad news
First off, I extend a HUGE thank you to all the guys (and girl) at Makerbot who signed my 'Bot!
I've posted the album publicly on my Google+, so check it out there!!
I've posted the album publicly on my Google+, so check it out there!!
Sadly, this is where the bad news comes in... When the front plate was on it's way back from NY to OR, USPS was, shall we say, less than careful handling the package, and the wood arrived cracked in three places. It still works after a bit of sanding and super glue, but I wish it had arrived unbroken.
Second, I finally got the ACME Z axis upgrade, but am quite honestly disapointed... Maybe I just got bad rods, but since I've installed them, the wobble's gotten worse, the Z axis is binding tons and I've been having a hell of a time calibrating... Now to save up for precision ground linear shafting and some linear bearings and such to replace the Z axis. Oh well, I guess it was worth a shot... maybe I can figure out some sort of wobble arrestor for the leadscrews, but doesn't that kind of defeat the purpose?
Third, I've finally upgraded some of the firmware on my bot, greatly improving the usability of the interface board, the firmware I'm now running can be found here: http://www.thingiverse.com/thing:15380 It's really cool, allows for preheating, continuous jog, and jog during print pauses including extruder movement! Meaning that filament changes may be doable now!
Lastly, I've installed some simple RGB strips, and the bot looks AWESOME now!
Overall, I'm happy with the machine, but it's been taking way too long to try and get rid of this wobble, and I'm running out of money (or rather, I ran out a while back and am waiting for the reserves to replenish, which may take a while as I'm a college student)
Friday, November 25, 2011
More upgrades
Lately, I've been having more and more problems with my MakerBot not printing reliably, and I've worked out that the problem is very likely the power supply giving up. So, I've finally bit the bullet and bought an new power supply!
It's a 500 watt supply with two 12V 18A rails, that way I can have one rail power the steppers, and one rail power the heaters. I think that having a more powerful supply will help quite a lot!
Also, Finally bought the Acme rod upgrade :-) switching to 4 leadscrews should help quite a bit to eliminate the wobble, However, We'll see if it'll still be able to move accurately enough!
I'll post pictures once I get everything working!
It's a 500 watt supply with two 12V 18A rails, that way I can have one rail power the steppers, and one rail power the heaters. I think that having a more powerful supply will help quite a lot!
Also, Finally bought the Acme rod upgrade :-) switching to 4 leadscrews should help quite a bit to eliminate the wobble, However, We'll see if it'll still be able to move accurately enough!
I'll post pictures once I get everything working!
Tuesday, October 18, 2011
Platform problems
While trying to print at insane resolution (0.1mm/layer) I had a couple prints stick insanely well to the platform, and while removing them, I managed to gouge my Kapton and aluminum tape layers (missed the PCB :-) ) so I've been trying to figure out a way to make a better platform.
I think I've found a way to both make the new platform, and instantly perfectly level the new platform.
The process would be to bolt a 3-4mm thick 10X10mm aluminum plate to the platform, then temporarily replace the toolhead with a dremel flex-shaft with a ball-end mill in it, and machine off the top layer of the aluminum, making it perfectly flat, and perfectly level with respect to the toolhead.
I'll post more updates as the idea develops!
I think I've found a way to both make the new platform, and instantly perfectly level the new platform.
The process would be to bolt a 3-4mm thick 10X10mm aluminum plate to the platform, then temporarily replace the toolhead with a dremel flex-shaft with a ball-end mill in it, and machine off the top layer of the aluminum, making it perfectly flat, and perfectly level with respect to the toolhead.
I'll post more updates as the idea develops!
Sunday, October 2, 2011
Odd print problem
In my attempts to print at 0.1 mm/layer (i know, i know, it's not recomended with a 0.4mm nozzle) I've run into a slight problem. One side (right side) of the print is coming out with a weird looking gash in it!
Not sure what's causing the gash, if it's too much or too little plastic, but it sure is annoying... It seems to start small, then get wider and wider as the print progresses.
the part I'm currently printing is a 1cm^3 (1 centimeter cube)
Here's a picture of the problem:
Not sure what's causing the gash, if it's too much or too little plastic, but it sure is annoying... It seems to start small, then get wider and wider as the print progresses.
the part I'm currently printing is a 1cm^3 (1 centimeter cube)
Here's a picture of the problem:
 |
| I colored the flat area on the side with a sharpie, so that you can see the gash, there's also what looks like a bunch of bits of plastic fused to the part on the other side of the gash (where there's a bunch of dots). |
New electronics INSTALLED!
Just finished installing my new Gen4 electronics! The first thing I noticed was the reduction in noise! this thing is amazingly quiet now, and with the MK7 Extruder, I've been pushing for higher and higher quality (test print running now at 0.1 mm/layer.
Hit a couple snags during installation, the worst of which was running out of plugs (even with a splitter on one of them) on my ATX supply! However, it was pretty easy to solve by hooking up the power supply from an old USB-IDE converter.
Pics of the build:
Hit a couple snags during installation, the worst of which was running out of plugs (even with a splitter on one of them) on my ATX supply! However, it was pretty easy to solve by hooking up the power supply from an old USB-IDE converter.
Pics of the build:
 | |
| Other than the color of the boards, doesn't look that much different from the Gen3's, o wait, there's an extra stepper driver :-D YAY! |
 |
| Interface board, with arrows drawn onto the keys :-) I'll probably print some keys for it later as well, make it a bit more proffessional. |
 |
| This peice of flex tube goes from the boards to the extruder, I twist tied some of the wires to an empty mounting hole on the extruder stepper driver so that it stays upright :-) |
 |
| Gen7 extruder and safety cutoff board! Got everything working, then accidentally broke a fan blade, so now it buzzes really loudly, gonna try n re-balance it, but that's not as easy as one would think... |
Wednesday, September 21, 2011
New electronics
Finally upgrading my MakerBot to Gen4 electronics! just ordered them, plus a MK7 extruder!
My plan is to install everything on the Cupcake, use the Cupcake to print a printer that I'm designing, then transfer all the electronics and stuff to the new printer! afterwards i'll probably still keep the Cupcake around for fun, with gen3 electronics on it again.
UPDATE! the parts have shipped, expected delivery = 9/28! *happy dance*
My plan is to install everything on the Cupcake, use the Cupcake to print a printer that I'm designing, then transfer all the electronics and stuff to the new printer! afterwards i'll probably still keep the Cupcake around for fun, with gen3 electronics on it again.
UPDATE! the parts have shipped, expected delivery = 9/28! *happy dance*
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)